The National Board of Review’s annual awards are often a barometer of what fans may expect duringOscar season. While we still have over a month and a half left untilThe Academy Awardsnominations are announced, one of this year’s biggest blockbusters has been given an awards season push, afterThe National Board of ReviewnamedMad Max: Fury Roadas their pick for the best movie of 2015. WhileMad Max: Fury Roadtaking home this award is certainly a surprise to some, it remains to be seen how this win will affect the rest of the awards season.
The last movie to win both The National Board of Review’s best picture and the Academy Award for Best Picture wasSlumdog Millionaireback in 2008. Last year, the Board bestowedA Most Violent Yearwith their top pick, and it wasn’t even nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. However, between 2001 and 2013, all of their top picks receivedOscar nominationsfor Best Picture, although onlyNo Country for Old MenandSlumdog Millionairewound up taking home the top Oscar.
The Board’s picks for their top 10 movies of 2015, belowMad Max: Fury Road, includeBridge of Spies,Creed,The Hateful Eight,Spotlight,The Martian,Room,SicarioandStraight Outta Compton, whileInside Outwon Best Animated Feature.The Hateful Eightis the only movie on their top 10 that hasn’t been released yet, arriving in a limited roadshow release onChristmas Daybefore expanding nationwide January 8. We’ll have to wait and see if these awards help boost thebox officeperformance for the films that are still playing intheaters.
Other individual winners areRidley Scottfor Best Director (The Martian),Matt Damonfor Best Actor (The Martian),Brie Larsonfor Best Actress (Room),Sylvester Stallonefor Best Supporting Actor (Creed),Jennifer Jason Leighfor Best Supporting Actress (The Hateful Eight),Quentin Tarantinofor Best Original Screenplay (The Hateful Eight) andDrew Goddardfor Best Adapted Screenplay (The Martian).Room’sJacob TremblayandBeasts of No Nation’sAbraham Attahshared the award for Breakthrough Performance. The upcoming financial dramaThe Big Short, which hits theaters on December 11, won for Best Ensemble.
Mad Max: Fury Roadtook in $153.6 million domestically and $375.8 million worldwide during its theatrical run this summer. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences don’t normally bestow their top awards to big-budget blockbusters, but there are a few recent exceptions such asArgo($136 million),Slumdog Millionaire($141 million) and, of course,Titanic($658 million). Do you thinkMad Max: Fury Roadhas a viable shot at taking home Oscar gold after winning The National Board of Review’s top prize?
